What do you wear and how do you like it?
- Thread starter Traxx
- Start date
Two posts, two hotlinked endorsements for a specific luggage manufacturer. Are you, by any chance, affiliated with them?
Sportsterpaul
Well-Known Member
Been through quite an assortment in the sixty years of roadwork. Currently for winter I wear an oversized Tourmaster Transition II coat in hi-viz, it allows plenty of room for layering when the temps below 0F, and I’ve noticed “ cagers giving me a bit more room than previously. My Aerostich Air-Vantage heated liner replaced the vest as running behind a small screen my arms are warmer. Am especially pleased with the inflatable bladder which gives slightly more wind resistance and holds the heating elements tighter to the body. AD1lightweight are the cats meow, totally waterproof and as tested on a previous pair very abrasion resistant. With their thick knee pads, over the calf “ Darn Tough”,(lifetime granted no questions asked), merino wool socks, and the accessory added waterproof boot pocket that simply pulls out the bottom of the leg opening in conjunction with my choice of base layers my lower half remains comfortable without electric heat. A pair of “Ken Phenix” modified snowmobile gloves give me way more hand heat than I’ve ever been able to use, 4 of 10 on the digital controller is good for many hours on the freeway at temps in the -20F range. That leaves my feet as my “Achilles heal”, and the “First Gear” heated socks have that well covered. These work better for me than heated insoles as they wrap the toes in heat not just the bottoms. Running mid controls I get a lot of wind movement over the top of the toes. When it warms up I change up to the “Alpinstars” textile and leather armored jacket, and higher heat I break out the “Joe Rocket “ mesh jacket. I now have two pair of Aerostich Combat boots, one pair of “Lites” for warm weather and one pair of taller oversized for cold weather with proper layers underneath. An option for the lower body I have a pair of “Tourmaster Caliper” second generation, riding pants,(my gen1 gave me great service for near 20 years), added suspenders for lessened mid body constriction. The Gen II are waterproof, full leg zippers and armored hips and knees, absolute best $99.00 riding pants I’ve ever found.
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tabledrain
IBR Finisher
For 12 years i have been a solid Aerostich roadcrafter classic one piece guy.
Under that is ld comfort longs. Boots have been bmw sourced. Gloves..i have a variety.
If i find its getting cold( thats an aussies version not a nth american one) i put gerbings heated gear on top of the ld comforts and if needed plug in socks and gloves.
Ive worn this combo all over the world, worn one stich out crashed hard enough to wreck one and am waiting on no.3 to arrive any day now
Under that is ld comfort longs. Boots have been bmw sourced. Gloves..i have a variety.
If i find its getting cold( thats an aussies version not a nth american one) i put gerbings heated gear on top of the ld comforts and if needed plug in socks and gloves.
Ive worn this combo all over the world, worn one stich out crashed hard enough to wreck one and am waiting on no.3 to arrive any day now
Prof
IBA Member
Aerostich R3 Lite is my go-to. I've had it repaired and was happy with how that service went, though it did cost money. One pit-zip failed, and one of the pant legs started to tear on the inside from putting my boots through it. They pressure tested it and said the Gore-Tex had technically failed in some areas, likely from dirt and sweat, but as long as I don't let water pool on those areas (armpits, back) it doesn't soak through and still works great for rain protection. I stand up occasionally in the rain anyway to make sure water isn't pooling on top of the crotch area. Have worn it through winter snow riding as well as hot summers in the south. Over 100 degrees it kind of rough, but all gear that is not actively cooled fairs about the same.
For a helmet I have an HJC F70 Carbon, the carbon wasn't necessary but it made it lighter which helps on longer rides or going over bumps, less neck strain. The field of view on that helmet is incredible. For anyone who feels claustrophobic in a full face helmet, I'd recommend they give it a try. I ditched my Shoei Neotech 2 for it after a crash and haven't missed the modular function too much.
For gloves I really liked the Aerostich Competition Elksin Roper but they've been out of stock for years now so I am using Held Rodney II Gloves. They are perforated but I still wear them in the winter because I run knuckle guards, heated grips, and Hippo Hands bar mitts for winter riding. Like most dyed leather gloves, they'll stain your hands in the rain! The visor squeegee is a favorite feature that I look for on most gloves.
For boots I have Alpinestars Web Gore-Tex Boots. They're reasonably comfortable off the bike but wouldn't want to take a hike in them. They have some ankle protection on both sides, which is an upgrade from the Tour Master Solution 3.0 WP Boots I previously had which did okay in a crash but still left me with a sprained ankle. Being Gore-Tex, they're incredibly hot in the summer and I open them up and let my dogs breathe when possible even if it's just a 10 minute snack break and stretch at a fuel stop.
I almost always wear a buff or neck gaiter of some sort, and in hot weather I will soak it in water. Keeps the bugs from splattering on my neck and reduces wind noise into the helmet.
For a helmet I have an HJC F70 Carbon, the carbon wasn't necessary but it made it lighter which helps on longer rides or going over bumps, less neck strain. The field of view on that helmet is incredible. For anyone who feels claustrophobic in a full face helmet, I'd recommend they give it a try. I ditched my Shoei Neotech 2 for it after a crash and haven't missed the modular function too much.
For gloves I really liked the Aerostich Competition Elksin Roper but they've been out of stock for years now so I am using Held Rodney II Gloves. They are perforated but I still wear them in the winter because I run knuckle guards, heated grips, and Hippo Hands bar mitts for winter riding. Like most dyed leather gloves, they'll stain your hands in the rain! The visor squeegee is a favorite feature that I look for on most gloves.
For boots I have Alpinestars Web Gore-Tex Boots. They're reasonably comfortable off the bike but wouldn't want to take a hike in them. They have some ankle protection on both sides, which is an upgrade from the Tour Master Solution 3.0 WP Boots I previously had which did okay in a crash but still left me with a sprained ankle. Being Gore-Tex, they're incredibly hot in the summer and I open them up and let my dogs breathe when possible even if it's just a 10 minute snack break and stretch at a fuel stop.
I almost always wear a buff or neck gaiter of some sort, and in hot weather I will soak it in water. Keeps the bugs from splattering on my neck and reduces wind noise into the helmet.
Mark Hutchins
Member
I look for ways to layer and adapt to changing climates with a minimum of storage and changing clothes on the side of the road when conditions change. My current kit is:
-Klim Marrakesh jacket. All-day comfy and breathable, lots of abrasion resistance throughout and I upgraded the armor to L2. But it’s built for mild to warmer climates, so I added layers to make it 4-season.
-Base layer is LD Comfort or 100% merino wool shirt in colder temps. In warm to hot temps, it’s just the jacket and LD Comfort.
-Mid layers are Hotwired heated jacket liner, down hoodie if I need it (so far I haven’t) and a Klim Zephyr to stop wind that passes through the jacket.
-Outer shell is a Klim Forecast GoreTex that I wear in temps below 75 as a wind barrier.
Is there any reason to think this jacket/shell combination doesn't have the robustness of a Carlsbad or maybe even an Aerostich jacket?
The thing I like about these layers is that they require bringing only the Marrakesh, and they all pack down small and take up less than half the space of my Goldwing DCT Tour trunk.
-variety of summer and winter gloves
-Shoei Neotec 2 helmet with a Sena 20S
-DYNS riding jeans with Nelson-Rigg rain lowers. Also wear padded bike shorts.
-Alpinestars GTX boots, but it’s hard to resist just wearing my Keen waterproof hiking boots. Merino wool knee high socks.
I have been on several 5+ day trips around the western U.S. with this setup, but I would be curious to see how they would hold up in the Ironbutt Rally or one of the cross-country challenges.
-Klim Marrakesh jacket. All-day comfy and breathable, lots of abrasion resistance throughout and I upgraded the armor to L2. But it’s built for mild to warmer climates, so I added layers to make it 4-season.
-Base layer is LD Comfort or 100% merino wool shirt in colder temps. In warm to hot temps, it’s just the jacket and LD Comfort.
-Mid layers are Hotwired heated jacket liner, down hoodie if I need it (so far I haven’t) and a Klim Zephyr to stop wind that passes through the jacket.
-Outer shell is a Klim Forecast GoreTex that I wear in temps below 75 as a wind barrier.
Is there any reason to think this jacket/shell combination doesn't have the robustness of a Carlsbad or maybe even an Aerostich jacket?
The thing I like about these layers is that they require bringing only the Marrakesh, and they all pack down small and take up less than half the space of my Goldwing DCT Tour trunk.
-variety of summer and winter gloves
-Shoei Neotec 2 helmet with a Sena 20S
-DYNS riding jeans with Nelson-Rigg rain lowers. Also wear padded bike shorts.
-Alpinestars GTX boots, but it’s hard to resist just wearing my Keen waterproof hiking boots. Merino wool knee high socks.
I have been on several 5+ day trips around the western U.S. with this setup, but I would be curious to see how they would hold up in the Ironbutt Rally or one of the cross-country challenges.
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Mark Hutchins
Member
They are ok except they don’t feel rugged enough to last beyond a few rides. I just don’t feel like spending $$ for better lowers.
H60PLT
Premier Member
Greetings:
I made the pilgrimage to Aerostitch in Duluth for a Roadcrafter in the spring last year. It's held up well, but I'll probably ship it in to have a few seams tidied up. I got it large enough to be comfortable with my heated gear and polypro underneath. I also asked the Tech who took all my measurements on the rocking horse mockup they have to come see how I sit on my bike; that I would need some heat-resistant fabric stitched onto the lower half of the right leg for those brushes against the V&H exhaust system that I feared would wreak havoc on the ordinary fabric of the suit shell. My only complaint about the suit itself is that the only way to thread the heated gear to outside the suit (and connect to the pigtail on the bike) is out the left vertical pocket opening. There is a small oval affixed inside the suit beneath the front-thigh pocket, but it's a port to nowhere, and I'd wondered if they failed to complete the port. More likely, I just need some schooling on proper power line routing... The velcro tabs on the sleeve also enable me to attach a clear plastic pocket I use for a half-size EZ pass for the bridges and tunnels across most of the Eastern Seaboard. I have to be careful to remove the four rare-earth magnets BEFORE I toss the suit in the washer, and to keep them apart on the dresser pending reinstallation. They seem to be very brittle when allowed to touch one another off the suit, and I've had to buy a few spares. The mandarin collar neck rides comfortably over the other layers, and I've never had dribble-age (old word I just made up) down the inside of the collar to points beneath.
Doffing the heated gear (nearly all Gerbing 12V), and riding with the collar opened, the suit vents well enough to be comfortable >100F ambient. I have Nelson-Rigg slipover rain boots that velcro up beneath the suit, and seem to meet the mail.
I've purchased and played with Gerbing heated soles, and Gerbing heated sock liners, and keep coming back to the latter - just seem far simpler to get in and out of the boot, and work well with the wool socks I wear in the colder months. The coldest it's been so far when leaving the house is 6 deg F ambient, and even at interstate speeds, the combination of heated gear and layers seems to be able to stave off the chill.
I wear a thin liner beneath the Gerbing 12V gloves (the ones with the hard knuckles), and between the heated gloves and heated handgrips, I don't feel cursed at riding sans fairing. Dainese Blackjack gloves are my go-to warmer weather gloves, which always leave a small oval on the back of my hand as a tell-tale I've been out riding long enough to get a sort of Rider's tan...
My $.02; hope that helps;
Mark
I made the pilgrimage to Aerostitch in Duluth for a Roadcrafter in the spring last year. It's held up well, but I'll probably ship it in to have a few seams tidied up. I got it large enough to be comfortable with my heated gear and polypro underneath. I also asked the Tech who took all my measurements on the rocking horse mockup they have to come see how I sit on my bike; that I would need some heat-resistant fabric stitched onto the lower half of the right leg for those brushes against the V&H exhaust system that I feared would wreak havoc on the ordinary fabric of the suit shell. My only complaint about the suit itself is that the only way to thread the heated gear to outside the suit (and connect to the pigtail on the bike) is out the left vertical pocket opening. There is a small oval affixed inside the suit beneath the front-thigh pocket, but it's a port to nowhere, and I'd wondered if they failed to complete the port. More likely, I just need some schooling on proper power line routing... The velcro tabs on the sleeve also enable me to attach a clear plastic pocket I use for a half-size EZ pass for the bridges and tunnels across most of the Eastern Seaboard. I have to be careful to remove the four rare-earth magnets BEFORE I toss the suit in the washer, and to keep them apart on the dresser pending reinstallation. They seem to be very brittle when allowed to touch one another off the suit, and I've had to buy a few spares. The mandarin collar neck rides comfortably over the other layers, and I've never had dribble-age (old word I just made up) down the inside of the collar to points beneath.
Doffing the heated gear (nearly all Gerbing 12V), and riding with the collar opened, the suit vents well enough to be comfortable >100F ambient. I have Nelson-Rigg slipover rain boots that velcro up beneath the suit, and seem to meet the mail.
I've purchased and played with Gerbing heated soles, and Gerbing heated sock liners, and keep coming back to the latter - just seem far simpler to get in and out of the boot, and work well with the wool socks I wear in the colder months. The coldest it's been so far when leaving the house is 6 deg F ambient, and even at interstate speeds, the combination of heated gear and layers seems to be able to stave off the chill.
I wear a thin liner beneath the Gerbing 12V gloves (the ones with the hard knuckles), and between the heated gloves and heated handgrips, I don't feel cursed at riding sans fairing. Dainese Blackjack gloves are my go-to warmer weather gloves, which always leave a small oval on the back of my hand as a tell-tale I've been out riding long enough to get a sort of Rider's tan...
My $.02; hope that helps;
Mark
My wife wears Klim and I have First Gear Kilimanjaro and Katmandu Jackets, and a set of Kilimanjaro pants. The first Kilimanjaro I got was a closeout somewhere online was about $125 dollars it is in a but ugly wine color but make a great cold weather jacket as it came with a zip in liner and has large pockets.
They have kept us dry in some substantial rain
I have no complaints with any of it although the pockets on the newer stuff are not as good as the older one.
Money wise my wife has better stuff than me which is as it should be
They have kept us dry in some substantial rain
I have no complaints with any of it although the pockets on the newer stuff are not as good as the older one.
Money wise my wife has better stuff than me which is as it should be
You should find that the exit for that port is inside the left hand-warmer pocket. It's held closed by velcro so it's a little hard to find. I bought a little extension cable that permanently lives with the suit, so I plug my Warm-n-Safe liner into the plug inside, then I have a pigtail coming out of the hand warmer pocket that I plug into the bike.
Inside:
Outside:
H60PLT
Premier Member
And just like that, with a little tutoring, the stupid light is extinguished! Thanks so much, Keith!